“Oh!  I must not forget to tell you that the new preacher over at the Second Church has begun a course of lectures on the work of mercy that women might do.  He says that as mothers in the homes, and as teachers in the public schools and the Sabbath-schools, we have a grand opportunity.”

“So we have; but what avails our opportunity if our eyes are blinded so that we do not see it?” assented Mrs. Brown.

“Last night,” resumed the lady, “he spoke particularly of the crime of wearing birds; and he accuses us of being more cruel than men.”

“He does?” questioned Mrs. Brown, in great surprise.  “Why, we all know that woman’s part in this wickedness comes from her desire to look pretty; at least she thinks that wearing birds adds to her beauty.  Her wickedness does not come from actual love of butchery.  But men and boys have shot innocent creatures since the world began for the mere brutal pleasure of killing something.  It seems as though they were born with a blood-thirsty instinct, a wanting to destroy life, to hunt it and shoot it down.  They beg to go gunning almost before they are out of dresses and into trousers.  Every mother knows there is a savage streak in her boy’s nature.  No,” continued Mrs. Brown, with a decisive nod of her head, “I say let the man who is without sin among them be the first to cast stones now.  Perhaps this very preacher spent all his Saturdays robbing birds’ nests and clubbing birds when he was a little boy, and kept it up until he was big enough to kill them with a gun.  Of course there are some who do not; not all boys are cruel.  But this cruelty does not excuse ours.  Man’s wickedness does not make us the less guilty.  We will be held responsible all the same.”

The other woman looked thoughtful.  “Well,” she said at last, “I haven’t quite lost all faith in womanly mercy.  Women don’t mean to be cruel; the trouble is they don’t think.”

“Don’t think!” echoed Mrs. Brown scornfully.  “Don’t think!  That is an excuse entirely too babyish for women to offer in this age of the world.  Do they want to be regarded as irresponsible children forever?  Don’t you know that childish thoughtlessness on a subject as important as the needless taking of life argues tremendously against us?  Here we are at the twentieth century, and with all our boasted advancement we are as cruel and savage as Fiji Islanders.  Oh, don’t talk to me about women!” and she made an outward motion of her hand as if pushing away an imaginary drove of them that was coming too near.  “I haven’t a particle of patience with them.  If they’re not in the habit of thinking, let them begin it right off.  Let them begin it before the birds are all destroyed.  If they have the least spark of tenderness left in their hearts------”

The rest of the sentence was lost in the louder tones of a pert little miss, who in company with her mother was rummaging over a box of trimmings on the counter nearest my cage.